Supporting gender-based violence survivors in Lesvos Island

To alleviate the impacts of COVID-19 policies, many initiatives have been developed by civil society organisations – NGOs, local governments, or citizens. A team of national researchers from the RESISTIRÉ project has collected and highlighted a set of particularly relevant initiatives in 27 European countries and in Iceland, Serbia, the United Kingdom and Turkey. The initiatives currently cover eight specific domains: gender-based violence, the labour market, the economy, gender-pay and pension gaps, gender care gaps, decision-making and politics, environmental justice, human and fundamental rights.

Providing support, information and protection

On the Greek island of Lesvos, many migrants and refugees arrive, having crossed the Mediterranean. The initiative was created in order to respond to the needs of the populations that are stranded on the island of Lesvos because of the geographic restrictions imposed during lockdown. Migrant, asylum seeking and refugee populations were forced to isolate in the crowded camp of Kara Tepe, which was created after the Moria camp was burnt down.

Isolation and overcrowding have made these populations more vulnerable to GBV and the initiative is aimed at providing support, information and protection to survivors and potential survivors. In the emergency conditions of COVID-19, the programme offered psychosocial support to deal with post-traumatic stress syndrome, legal support and temporary/emergency shelter for survivors of GBV.

Activities

The initiative is run by DIOTIMA NGO with the support of the International Rescue Committee. It includes the following services:

• Provision of case management and psychosocial support to GBV survivors
• Provision of legal counselling and legal aid to GBV survivors
• Provision of emergency accommodation to GBV

Targeted Population

The programme is targeting GBV survivors of all genders who are accommodated at the New Site in Kara Tepe.

Picture: Diotima